‘Need For Speed 2’ Heads to the Starting Line

Furious 7 is the number one movie in the world, breaking box office records left and right. In a totally unconnected and wildly coincidental bit of news, a sequel to last year’s racing film Need For Speed is now in the works from Electronic Arts and a bunch of Chinese partners. What are the odds?!?

Much of Need for Speed 2 would be filmed in China, with the nation’s actors also taking significant roles, according to an announcement of the new arrangement by joint venture partners China Movie Channel Program Center, Jiaflix Enterprises and 1905 Pictures, along with Electronic Arts, creator of the Need for Speed videogame.

Need For Speed was no Furious 7, creatively or financially. But the movie, which starred Aaron Paul, Imogen Poots, and Dominic Cooper, did make $200 million worldwide, a solid number despite earning just $43 million in the U.S. Strong overseas grosses (including a whopping $65 million in China alone) explain foreign investors’ interest in a potential sequel.

There’s no word yet on whether Paul will return for the new film, and Variety notes that EA’s partners will need to negotiate for the rights to the sequel away from DreamWorks, who released the first Need For Speed. Assuming they can successfully do that, the new movie would go into production later this year. So get ready: Here comes Need For Speed: Second Gear! No? Okay, how about Need For Additional Speed? Needier For Speed? Wait, I’ve got it! 2 Need 2 Speed! Oh yeah, that’s the winner right there.